Automatic stoking device for furnaces.



1 y BY Y am@ M -'TT NEY.

No. 884,603. P'ATTNTBD APR, 14, 1908 Y T. E. MURRAY. Y

AUTOMATIC STOKIN'G DEVICE POR FURNAG'ES.

TPLIOA'TION TILL'D AUG. 23.1907.

` @SHEETS-SHEET a. X

10.884,603. l, PATENTBD APR.I 14,1908.

11B. MURRAY.

AUTOMATIC STOKNG DEVICE POR FURNACES.

APPLICATION 'FILED wenn 19 v 8' 07 .i Isuzu-SHEET 4.

vN 0'Y if ATTORNEY and twyers and of the mechanism for operat-` said perforated nur" ornrcn.

rnonas EMURRAY, or NEW YORK, N. Y.'

AUTOMATIC s'roKING DEVICE FoR'FrraNACEs.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented April 14, 1908.

Application filed August 28, 1907. Serial No. 390,423. I

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, THOMAS E. MURRAY, a citizen of thexUnited States, residing at New York, in the county of New York and State of New York, have invented `a certain new and useful Improvement in Automatic Stoking Devices for Furnaces,u of which the following is aspecific'ation.

'The invention is an automatic over-feed stoking device for furnaces. y

The principle of the invention consistsl (-1) in the inode of organization whereby, when the fuelis delivered from a suitable source of supply to a rearwardly inclined platform, de-

vices operating above the plane of said lat-- form shall move the fuel down the inc ine; (2) in the mode of organization whereby said devices may be controlled so as. to very or prevent their effect upon the fuel. at will, and

(3) in the inode of organization whereby said devices'niay be individually controlled so as to produce different effects upon the fu`el at dilierent places.

The present embodiment of my invention nace of the type in which narrow inclined partments; in which the inner inclined sides i of the air compartments are closed and. erforated; and inI which the burning fue in successive fuel compartments arches over the sides of the air compartments.

' In the accompanying drawingsHFigure l is a longitudinal vertical section of the furnace showing part of the boiler tubes, on the line a: a: of Fi .3. i Fig. 2 is asimilar sectionon theline y y o Fig. 3.' Fig. Sis a partial front elevation'seen in the vdirection of the arrow, Fig. 8. Fig. Llisaplan view of the art shown in F ig. 3. Fig. 5 is a detail view s 'owing the` inode of suspending the sliding bars which -control the motion of the swinging lates F. Fig. 6 is a section on the line e zo Fig. 5. Fig. 7 is a detail view showing the manner inwhich one of the sliding bars cooperates with the swinging plate which it controls, Fig. 8 is a plan view of the fuel receiving inclined platforms ing the swinging plates F F F2 F 3.

Similar numbers of reference indicate like parts.

1 is the'furnace chamber of a steam boiler, the tubes of which are shown at 2.

At 3 are brickwork arches crossing the fire space and at 4 is a side door. f

The fuel receiving compartments A, A',

` etc. may be in any desired number and alter- "natelwith the air compartments B, B, etc.l

All are inclined downwardly from front to rear of the furnace. "Each fuel receivin compartment as A, Fig. 1, is trou h shape and has a lower fuel supporting p atform 5 and side walls 6. Communicating with the upper open end of each fuel compartment is a hopper C, in which the,fuelis placed, and from which it may slide by gravity down the platform 5 to the dumping grate 7 which may turn on horizontalpivots in Ithe usual way.

Each air compartment B, Fig. 2, has a bottom plate 8, which extends between the side walls 6 of the adjacent fuel compartments lA, A". VThe upper ends of said coin-A f duct and lying between the side walls 6 of the adjacent fuel compartments is a supexhiblts it m connection with a boiler furf most of a series of twyers E. fuel compartments alternate with air coml 'adj acent fuel compartments.

porting plate 9 upon which rests the lower-` vSaid tw ers are disposed step-fashion one above the ot er, so that the whole inner inclined side of each air compartment is closed by them, and as shown in Fig. 2, they extend rearwardly beyond the inclined edges of the walls 6 of the In each twyer are side openings 10 for the escape of air.

From s0 much ashas been describedtit will now beunderstood, that the fuel passing from the hopper C into the several fuel compartments I A', etc., fills these compartments (meanwhile resting on and moving down the inclined platforms 5) and arches over the twyers E between said fuel compartments; and .that the twyers E deliver air laterally under the fuel which is arched over them, and hence across the open inner sides ofsaid fuel compartments A. The construction of the twyers E, as here shown, is merely illustrative and not specifically essential. Any device Which closes the inner inclined sides ofthe air compartments B, B',

ete. and which is provided with escape orietc. I provide the following devices. In the i portions G of the plates F F"F- F3.

M, VN,-. O,Y faire, howe'ver, of "rectangular w 1cross fsctio'nand pass through similarly platform 5 of each fuel compartment A vare parallel transverse openin s in whi`cli""'-iit:

plates F F F? F3. yEach p ate is'hinged or ivoted at its lowermost transverse-edge in its openingin any Suitable way, as by making said edge rounded andseating it in a con-v cavity at the edge of the platform opening as shown at 11, Fig. l. AAt the upper .transverse ed e of each plate vF F F2 F3 V1s a down-Y wardly epending curved. portion G, which is struck on a radius from the hinge or pivot axis. yTo each plate F'F F2 F3 and portion G are bolted, two lugs 12 and 13 both'having their rear ends bent downwardly and the lug 13 being longer and hence extending further rearwardly than the -l'ug 12. Pivoted at their upper ends to the exterior of a'wall of the furnace are as many swinging arms H, I, J, K, as vthere are plates F F FZ F3, Figs. 1 and 3. Similarly pivoted to the exterior of the 'opposite side wall are corresponding swinging arms, not shown. Each pair of said arms, that is the two armsl correspondingly placed on opposite sides of the furnace furnishesl a sus ension device for a laterally slidin b ar. Tius th bar L., Fig. 3, is supporte by the arm H, and its corresponding arm on the opposite sideof the furnace, the bar M bythe arm I and its corresponding arm, the bar 'N by the arm` J1 and its correspending, arm', and the bar O by the arm K and its corresponding'arm. The bars, L, M, N, O, are all vconnected together by the link P, which isA jointed toa pitman Q, the other end of which is connected to a radiallyadjustable pivotpl'n'R on the pulley S,fast on shaft T.

As t e pullywSfrotates, the bars L, M, N, O, because supported on their swinging arms H, I, J, K, vibratein a lateral direction simul taneously and beneath the several depending The bars shaped-.openings inthe link P, and arms H, I, ,.:Ky .'Hencein order to permit of the motion above stated, the arms H, I, J, K, at

their lower ends are provided' with cylindrical flanged sleeves 14, Figs. 5 and 6, Whiehare seated and are capable of free ro, tation in said arms. In these sleeves are formed thelrectangular openings in which thev bars L, '.M, N, C), may longitudinally slide. v Similar flanged sleeves are also arran ed'in the link to receive said bars.

pon each bar L, M, N, O, are placed a numberof tappets U, one tappet being disposed vdirectly in front of the depending portion G of. each late F, F', F2, F3, see Fig. 7.

Each ta pet r is adjustable along its supporting ar, ,and maybe fastened 1n desired position by a clamping screw 15. Referring now to ,Fig 7, and considering for con-k venience plateF only,v it being understood that each plateY ofthe series F, F', F2, F3, is

oprated in like manner it will be plain that w en the bar L is in theposition shown, then .the islwinging 't'ofand fro of said'fbaritthat is ltoward and from the planeof thejgdralwing) `will cause the tappet U 'to pass'und'erfthe de ending portion G, and hence no lmotion wil be im arted to lthe latter. But if by means of t e handleV th'e bar L be moved to the right of Fig. 7, then as saidbar. vil vsaid depending portion, Aand if "said, bar be still further. moved longitudinally inf the same direction, then, again'a's said bar vibrates, the tappet willstrike the lugl.A The lug 13 is of suchlength as when lniet and carried onward bythe vibrating bar, the

plate F is moved `into afposition at" right i' angles to the plane of platform 5, see dotted lines, Fig. 1. The lug 12 is of such length as when met and carried onward by the vibraty ing bar the lplate'F is moved into a position at an angle ess than QOO'to platform 5; say,

for example, at an angle of 450. It will be seen, therefore, that by sliding the vibrating bar L longitudinally into one position it willl not movethe plate F, but on sliding it into anotherposition it will intermittently raise the plate F to some angle less than to the plane of platform 5 and on sliding it into still another-position it will intermittently raise the plate F to a position ,at right angles to the plane of platform 5. The elevation of plate F also elevates the depending portion G thereof (dotted lines Fig. 1). The effect then is as follows: As the plate F moves upwardly,` it lifts the fuel that lies over it and then pushes that fuel down the inclined A- platform 5: As the depending portion G rises at the same time, said portion forms a dam which prevents the fuel on the inclined' -platform from sliding down.

If the plate F movesup to a position at an angle less than 90o to the platform 5, then its pushing action is exerted on a smaller depth of fuel and for a shorter period than if moved up to a position at a right angle tothe plane of said platform. In the latter case the dam formed by portion G does not completely stop the descent of the fuel down the incline, since some may move over it.

Referring now to Fig.

1, and considering the plates F, F, F2, F3, disposed in the platform 5 of the particular fuel compartment A there shown, it is obvious, that by suitably moving the bars L, M, N, O, longitudinally, each one of said plates may be left unraised, or raised intermittently to a limited. extent or to the full extent of 90 above the platform 5. Therefore, any plate or number of plates may be caused to exert maximum jg? moving eHect ou the fuel to cause it to move down the incline: or any plate or number of plates may be caused toexert a less moving eect'on the fuel for the same purpose, or

any plate or number of plates may be caused therefrom, means for supplying fuel to the not to exertfany moving edect on the fuel.

The result is that a very complete control" of the burning fuel is obtained at several points o n each fuel supporting platform l5, which controlmay not only be exerted at will, but varied at will, and which further is accomplished by motor mechanism governed by the operator. `Of` course, each sliding bar-as L controls the movement of oneA plate in eacli' of the parallel fuel compartments; but said control is not necessarily the same for each plate, since by adjusting the tappets on said bar in differentl positions, one plate may be raised fully, another plate in the adjacent compartment may be raised partially, a third in another compartment may be'not raised at all, or any other variation )rovided for. A

The operation of the whole apparatus is as follows: Fuel supplied from the hopper C vdescends the platforms 5 of the several fuel compartments A, A', etc., and being ignited arches over the twyers E which deliver into it air-from the air compartments B, B', etc. The rotary shaft T being driven by any suitable motor actuates (through the pulley' S, pitman Q and link'P) the swinging arms H, I, J, K, and hence the bars L, M, N, O.

These bars acting on the lugs 12, 13, causesuch of thev plates F, F', F2, F3, as are engaged by the tappets, .to' rise above thel platforms 5, thus moving the fuel onward and downward.- Maximum movement of the fuel is causedat anyplate by sliding the associated bar so that, its tappet'will act onA lug 13; .less motion when the associated bar lis moved so that its-tappet acts on lug 12,

and no. movement is impressed when the 4tappet acts on neither lug.

I claim:

, 1. In a furnace, an inclined fuel supporting platform, an inclined grate parallel and in' proximity thereto and receiving fuel therefrom, means for supplying fuel to the upper part of said platform andV means disposed in`t`he plane of said platform for en-.

gaging the fuel thereon and moving it down saidincline.

2. In a furnace, an inclined fuel, supporting platform, an inclined grate parallel andv in proximity thereto and receiving fuel upper part of said platform and means disposed in the plane of said platform and supported thereon for engaging the fuel on sald platform and moving it down said incline.

In a furnace, two inclined parallel i grates, an inclined platform` disposed'between said `grates and below the surface thereof, means for su plying fuel to the upper part of said plat orm and means disposed m the plane -of said platform for engaging the fuel thereon and moving it down said incline.

4. An Ainclined grate, an inclinedl Jfuel supporting platform in juxtaposition thereto and having an opening, and an upwardly swinging plate disposed in said opening andconstructed to engage the fuel on said plat- `form and move it down the incline.

5. An inclined grate, an inclined 'fuel supporting platform in juxtaposition thereto and having an opening, an upwardly swinging plate disposed in said opening and constructed to engage the fuel on said platform and move it down the incline and means for varying the throw of the plate.

6. An inclined grate, an inclined fuel supporting platform in juxtaposition thereto and receiving fuel at itselevated end, a plurality of openingsin said platform, and a plurality of upwardly swinging plates pivoted in said openings and engaging the fuel at diderent points along the said. platform to move said fuel down the incline,

7. An inclined grate, an inclined fuel supporting platform in juxtaposition 'thereto and receiving fuel at its elevatedend, a plurality of openings in said platform,-a plurality of upwardly swinging plates pivot-ed in said openings and engaging the fuel at different points along the said platform 'to move said fuel down the incline and means for independently"adjusting each of said plates I.

to vary the extent of its upward swinging n'iovement.

8. An inclined grata-an inclined fuel supporting platform in juxtaposition .thereto and receiving fuel at its elevated end, aplu- .rality of openings in said platfornnfa plu- 10. An inclined grate, lan inclined fuel supporting platform, means for supplying `said opening, means for operating said plate fand means for preventlng fuel `descend1ng Asaid platform passing under said plate.

fuel at the upper part thereof, an upwardly swinging transverse plate normally supported in the plane of said platform' and pivoted thereto at its edge which is furthest down the incline, means for operating said plate', means for varying the extent of`upward-swing of said plate vand means for preventing fuel descending said platform from passing under said plate.

11. An inclined fuel supporting platform, means for supplying fuel at the upper part thereof, a plate supported in the plane of said said platform, and la tappet onfsaid bar, the aforesaid parts being constructed and arranged so that said tappet may be adjusted to engage with said plate and thereby cause said plate to be'swung upwardly by said bar.

'13."An inclined fuel supporting platform,V

means for supplying fuel at the upper part thereof, a plate supported in the plane of said platform and pivoted thereto at its edge which is furthest down the incline, a bar eX- tending transverselyin front of and below said platform, swinging supports for said bar, in which supports said bar is longitudinally adj ustable, means for laterally moving said bar and a tappet on said bar movable by the said longitudinal adjustment of said bar into engagement'with said pivoted plate, to cause said plate to be swung upwardly by said bar.

14. A plurality of inclined grates, a plurality of inclined fuel receiving platforms alternating with said grates and having openings, means for supplying fuel to the upper parts of said platforms, a plurality of upwardly swinging plates pivoted in said platform opemngs and disposed inthe plane of said platform, and meansfor operating said plates to move the fuel down the inclined surfaces of said platforms.

, 15. A plurality of inclined grates, a plurality of inclined fuel receiving platforms alternating with said grates, means for supplying fuel to the upper arts of said platforms,-

a plurality of upwar'c ly swinging plates pivoted in each platform, and means for operating a predetermined number of plates in any ,ity of inclined fuel receiving platforms alter'- nating with said grates',`meansvfor supplying fuel tothe upper parts of said platforms, a

plurality of upwardly swinging plates pivoted in eac-li platform, means for operating said plates to .move the fuel down the `inclined surfaces of said platforms and means for adjusting the extent of upward movement of each plate.

18.y A plurality of inclined grates, a plurality of inclined fuel receiving platforms alternating with said grates, means for supplying fuel to the upper parts of said platforms, a

plurality of upwardly swingingplates piv-4 oted in each platform, means Afor operating a predetermined number of plates in any platform to move the fuel down the inclined surface thereof and means for adjusting the eX- tent of upward movement of each plate.

19. Aplurality of inclined grates, a plurality of inclined fuel receiving platforms alternating with said gratos, means for supplying fuel to the upper parts ot sald platforms, a

plurality of ulpwardly swinging plates piv-' oted in each p atform, meansfor operating a predetermined number of plates 1n each platform to move the fuel down the inclined sur-` faces of said platforms and means for adjust- A ing the extent of upward movement of said plate.

In testimony whereof I have aliXed my signature in presence of two Witnesses.

THOMAS E. MURRAY. 'itnesses A. .l-LLAIDLAW, MILES E, LANDAN. 

